When I Need You
by CharleK
Summary: AU in which Blaine has a secret superhero identity, and the short story of how Kurt found out. Nightbird!Blaine and an Evil Sebastian. Some action, some adventure, and because it's me, you can expect fluff eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N: Here is a little side project I've been working on thanks to Olivia and her love of Superheroes. Expect a few chapters in the next couple of days!]**

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"And you'll call when you get back home?"

"Yes Blaine," Kurt rolled his eyes as his boyfriend continued to pester him about going Downtown after dark. "Besides, this is _Lima_. We've maybe two buildings that could qualify as skyscrapers. It's not exactly a 'threatening big city.' I just have to stop by one of the warehouses to pick up things for my dad's shop and I'll be right home."

Kurt could practically hear the worried look in Blaine's eyes. "Just…try and stay away from the south end okay?"

"Okay, I guess? What's wrong with the south end?"

"I heard, on the news, that there were some disturbances down there last week."

"Disturbances. Like a stray cat? I'll be fine Blaine, don't worry about me. Skype tonight when I get home?"

Blaine sighed, "Sure. Two hours from now?"

"Perfect. I love you."

"Love you."

Kurt hung up his phone and got into his car. Just a quick round trip and he'd be back in no time.

Or so he thought.

At 9:35 PM, approximately two and a half hours since he left home, Kurt was sitting in the back of an abandoned building with his hands bound behind his back and a gag shoved between his teeth.

It had been sudden. One minute he was taking a shortcut in an alleyway, the next he was being dragged backwards by an unknown figure. Two others quickly joined him. He'd struggled at first, but a blow to the backs of his knees sent him to the ground. Not five minutes later, he was taken off the street and into a nearby building.

Inside, it was dark and seedy. Dust hung in the air, infiltrating Kurt's lungs with every breath. He was thrust into a cold steel chair and told to keep still. Kurt tried to run, so they tied him down. He tried to hit back, so they bound hands. After he'd resorted to screaming for help, they shoved a cloth into his mouth and taped it down. Once the three came to an agreement that their captive would not be moving anywhere, they left.

Kurt was definitely stuck. After attempting to scream with the gag, and only managing a muffled yelp, he admitted defeat and slumped down. He had to focus on breathing as deeply and steadily as possible in order to avoid asphyxiation. He kept his ears peeled for the signs of approaching feet. If anyone was going to enter the room, Kurt would hear him first.

Kurt wondered why he'd been victimized. Was this a random kidnapping? Was it because he was gay? Did someone—for whatever reason—have a grudge against his dad?

For the few hours since had been kidnapped, Kurt tried his hardest to figure out why he would have been taken. His phone rang a few times. The first time it was around nine. Kurt tried his hardest to shift the phone from his pocket onto his lap, but it was difficult given that he had no use of his hands.

Then it rang again ten minutes later.

And five minutes after that.

On the fourth call, Kurt saw someone enter the room. It was too dark to make out the individual's features given that the only sources of light were the street lamps outside. From what he could tell, it was a man. He was tall, and from his shadowed profile Kurt could make out a sharp nose and upswept hair.

"Damn phones. Those idiots couldn't even handle taking away a cell phone. Abduction 101 really."

The figure approached and violently pulled the phone from Kurt's pocket. He snapped the back off and pulled out the battery, tossing it behind him. He then took out the phone card and broke it in half. Dropping the pieces at his feet, he turned to Kurt.

He knelt down so that he was eye level with his captive and ran a finger along his jaw.

"Kurt Hummel," he purred, "thank you so much for making it easy on us today."

Kurt's eyes widened in surprise. He tried to speak, but only managed a muffled choke behind the cloth.

"Don't look so shocked," the man chuckled. "We've been tracking you for a few weeks now. No worries though. If you cooperate, we won't hurt you."

The tape was ripped off of Kurt's face, and the gag removed. Kurt opened and closed his mouth a few times in an attempt to gain feeling is his jaw again. He then closed his mouth and glared at his captor.

"I only have one question for you. One simple question. If you can answer it, then I'll let you go. If not…well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine first." Kurt said. He intended to sound forceful, but instead came out scared and hesitant.

"Deal. What's your question?"

"Who are you?"

The man chuckled. "So many things to know in this world and you ask who I am." He stood up and paced around Kurt. "I am in charge here. I am to be feared and respected. But, given that you probably just wanted to know my name, you can call me Sebastian."

"…and that's your real name?" Kurt asked.

"One question. You got one question. Now you have to answer mine." Sebastian came unnecessarily close to Kurt's face and asked, "Where. Is. Nightbird."

Kurt couldn't help the short burst of laughter that erupted from his mouth. "Um, who?" he asked, the laughter still ringing in the room.

"Wrong answer pretty boy." Sebastian pulled a switchblade from his pocket and brought it to Kurt's cheek.

The smile dropped from Kurt face almost instantly. He could feel the cool metal pressed against his skin. His breath quickened, and he began to struggle against ropes holding him.

"One more chance. Where is he?"

"I don't know I swear," Kurt squeaked.

"LIAR!" Sebastian flicked his wrist, cutting a long, but shallow, gash into Kurt's face. He gasped in shock at the sudden movement. Sebastian waited for Kurt to cry out in pain, but Kurt resolved to not show weakness. He grit his teeth and glared.

Sebastian stood and walked to the other side of the room. He paced back and forth while muttering something incoherent to himself. With every second, he seemed to get more agitated.

Minutes passed, and Kurt started trying to untangle himself for the hundredth time that night.

When he was ready to give up again, Kurt felt a pair of hands take his. He started, and was about to yell until he heard a quiet "_Shhhh._"

Kurt was curious as to how this person—whoever it was—managed to get in the room without anyone noticing.

Kurt could feel the stranger untying the ropes. Soon, they fell away and Kurt was about to bring them around to begin untying the rest of himself from the chair. Before he could, the person took his hands and forced Kurt to clasp them together. He then squeezed a little to signal that Kurt shouldn't move them.

Kurt nodded microscopically, and he felt the other pair of hands drop away from his. Kurt discreetly behind him not two seconds later, but whoever had been there was already gone. With an expression of confusion, Kurt turned his face back towards Sebastian, hopeful that he would soon be able to leave.

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**[A/N: As usual, if you leave a review, I will love you more than hearts are capable of loving.]**


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt adjusted himself in his seat, lacing his fingers behind him so that he still appeared to be tied up. Sebastian suddenly stopped talking to himself and tilted his head. He stood completely still and glanced around the room.

All at once, his eyes widened and he spun around towards Kurt.

"YOU CALLED HIM HERE!" He screeched as he advanced towards Kurt. "I don't know how but he's here, you lying son of a b—."

There was a thump and the distinct sound of air escaping Sebastian's lungs as Kurt saw a figure hit his assailant from behind. Sebastian stumbled, then regained his footing and spun around. He reached for his pocket to pull out a phone.

Just as Kurt saw the screen glinting in the dim light, he heard something whiz by his ear and a small crack. The next thing he knew there was a small blade lodged in the middle of the screen. Sebastian swore and jumped back, dropping the phone in the process.

"So you're just going to sneak around and attack me?! Come face me like a real _hero_." Sebastian's voice was laden with disgust and contempt. He pulled out a small handgun switched off the safety.

"But where's the fun in that?" a voice purred from somewhere in the shadows above them. Sebastian located the source of the noise as quickly as possible and took a couple of shots in its direction. He then walked closer, where a few chips of the wooden beams had fallen.

"Try ag-aain," the voice sing-songed from the other side of the room. Sebastian whipped around and let loose two shots.

An almost cheerful laugh seemed to ring on all sides of them. Sebastian visibly reddened and began to shake with anger. Kurt could see him trying to compose himself with a few deep breaths. A moment later, Sebastian pursed his lips and made his way back to Kurt. "Fine. You won't come out, but maybe if I mess with your little boy-toy over here a little you'll show your face."

Sebastian grinned menacingly at Kurt, who cringed in response. The blood from the first cut was just now drying, and Kurt was not looking forward to another.

Before Sebastian could pull out his switchblade again, however, he was down. Whoever it was that had been taunting him dropped down from above and landed on top of Sebastian. The two of them struggled while Kurt looked on in with a wary expression. Sebastian was evidently not on the winning side of this fight.

The stealthy newcomer was clad in a blue and black, form fitting suit that accentuated his broad shouldered, small waisted figure. On top appeared to be some form of armor. He was clearly masculine, with each muscle defined and strong underneath the outfit. A cape hung from his shoulders, and rippled with each punch. He had gloves on his hands, but was facing away from Kurt.

The most distracting part of the ensemble was his utility belt, visible whenever he moved suddenly and swung his cape to the side. The belt hung low on his hips, highlighting every line on his lower body.

Kurt was so distracted by the brawl in front of him that he didn't notice how dangerously close they were getting to him. When he finally took notice, the two of them were within inches of Kurt's chair.

He pulled off the tape around his mouth and took out the gag, and then he leaned down to untie his legs from the chair. He glanced up after getting the first one untied to see that the newcomer was situated on top of Sebastian, and was trying to pin him down.

Then he heard it.

"Kurt. Is. Not. A. Toy." Each word was punctuated with a swift punch to Sebastian's jaw.

Kurt's head snapped up in recognition. If there was one thing he could recognize just by hearing, it was Blaine saying his name.

"What—" He was cut short when he saw the figure—Blaine—flying towards him. Sebastian somehow managed to kick him off with enough force to throw Blaine back a few feet, right into Kurt. Blaine hit him square in the chest, and they both fell to the ground.

Kurt's head hit the ground with full force, and the last thing he noticed before he lost consciousness was Blaine's weight on top of his and a distant "I'm going to _kill _you Sebastian."

When Kurt woke up a few minutes later, everything was covered in a slight haze. He was flat on his back with a shirt of some sort under his head. He stared up at the wooden beams above him while he tried to remember where he was.

_Oh, right. _

Kurt sat up quickly, and then closed his eyes when his head began to throb. After the pain subsided, he glanced around him. He could see Sebastian at least ten feet away, also on the ground but bound with ropes. At first Kurt thought he was unconscious until a grunt came from him. Kurt noticed him straining against the ropes, making no progress in loosening them.

Kurt then took notice of a metallic click behind him. He turned to see Blaine sitting cross legged, concentrating on cleaning and organizing various objects around him. Kurt could make out a long tear in the side of Blaine's formfitting suit. Otherwise, he looked relatively unharmed. In fact, Kurt thought he looked content and at ease despite the current circumstances.

Kurt coughed quietly trying to get his attention.

Blaine looked up and dropped the piece he was working on and scrambled up. He was next to Kurt within moments.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt are you? How many fingers am I holding up? What's my name? What's _your _name?"

Kurt blinked at the barrage of questions. When he didn't answer right away Blaine began to worry even more.

"Shit, you don't remember your own name." Blaine stood up and began to pull out a small phone from a well concealed pocket.

"Blaine." Kurt said.

Blaine stopped dialing and looked at Kurt.

"I'm fine, I'm not hurt besides my headache, you didn't actually hold any fingers up, your name is Blaine and my name is Kurt."

Kurt could hear Blaine letting out a breath, and could see his shoulders relaxing. Blaine knelt back down next to where Kurt sat and put a hand on his cheek. "Thank god you're okay."

Kurt smiled and leaned into Blaine's hand. Blaine responded by coming closer and sitting next to him, allowing Kurt to press his full weight onto his side. Kurt closed his eyes, the pounding in his head returning with full force.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, Blaine." Kurt murmured.

"I know I know, tomorrow. Let's get you home first."

Kurt nodded and let Blaine stand him up. After doing a clean sweep of the room and gathering his things, the two headed for the door.

Blaine called to Sebastian over his shoulder, "It shouldn't be too much longer before they come pick you up!"

Kurt heard a muffled "umphf" come from Sebastian as he exited the room.

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**[A/N: No worries dear children, Kurt had yet to learn the full story. So this is not the end! I'm thinking about three more chapters unless there's an overwhelming cry for more. Hope you enjoyed!]**


	3. Chapter 3

"So, is it safe for me to go home?" Kurt asked as he neared his car.

Blaine bit his lip and looked around. "I'm really not sure. Would you mind if I hang around for a little longer? Just to make sure no one is tracking you."

Kurt glanced over at Blaine. "Blaine. Please. We're dating, of course you're allowed to hang around me."

Blaine smiled sheepishly and walked with Kurt the rest of the way to his car.

"So you didn't drive here?" Kurt asked as he unlocked his car.

Blaine shook his head. "I used one of the, uh, Company's cars. They get picked up within a half hour."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "The Company?"

"Right. I'm not technically allowed to acknowledge their existence."

"This shit just keeps getting weirder and weirder," Kurt murmured as he dug in his pocket for his keys, and then got into the car. Blaine followed Kurt on the opposite side, sliding into the passenger's seat silently.

Kurt slid his key into the ignition, but didn't turn on his car. Instead, he leaned his head back against the chair. He pointed over to the glove compartment. "Blaine, could you get the aspirin from there?"

Blaine clicked it open and grabbed the bottle, shaking out two small white pills and handing them to Kurt. He took them graciously and closed his eyes.

Meanwhile Blaine was shifting around in his seat, trying to take off his cape. When he finally managed to get it off, he folded it neatly and placed the bundle on his lap.

"I like the bird print on the back. It's a nice touch."

Blaine smiled proudly and smoothed out the polyester cloth. "Thank you. I came up with the design myself."

Kurt started quietly chuckling, which quickly grew into full on laughter.

"What's so funny?" Blaine asked.

"I'm sorry but Nightbird? I don't know. It doesn't seem like the kind of name that would make a villain run away in terror."

Blaine crossed his arms over his chest protectively and sat up straighter in his seat. "Hey, I love the name. I'm Nightbird, the nocturnal avenger."

Kurt wiped at the corners of his eyes. "Well it did seem to make Sebastian uneasy, so I guess it's doing its job."

Blaine's eyes darkened at the mention of Sebastian's name, a reaction that did not go unnoticed by Kurt.

"So do I get to know why you wear that costume on what seems to be a regular basis? I'm a bit hurt that you haven't mentioned the fact that you own a spandex suit sooner. I also want to know why I wa—."

Blaine suddenly placed his hand on Kurt's shoulder, silencing the other boy mid-sentence. He closed his eyes and tilted his head to the right.

"Blaine?" Kurt asked in a hushed whisper.

Blaine kept his eyes shut, "you may want to start the car."

He nodded clumsily turned the key and started his car.

"Is there somewhere I should be going?"

Blaine sat up, opening his eyes again and quickly hooking his cape back on. "Anywhere but home. I'm going to need to use the back seat…"

Kurt nodded and began to back out of his parking space. Blaine slipped into the back, and Kurt could hear an electronic beeping followed by an all too familiar voice.

"Quickgold at your service."

"Is that Cooper?" Kurt asked from the driver's seat. "And isn't Quick_silver_an X-Men character?"

"It's Quick_gold_," Cooper responded from the device. It was similar to a phone, but also not at all. There was a clear video of Cooper on the screen that Kurt could see in the rearview mirror.

"Little brother, would you like to explain to me why I am talking with a civilian. Moreover, one who must know your secret identity, given that you're in costume?"

"Cooper, you've told every girl you've gone out on a date with about your secret identity. I think I'll be okay if I let it slip this one time."

"Fine," Cooper huffed, "but I'm not explaining this one to dad."

"Is there anyone in your family that isn't a superhero?" Kurt questioned.

"He's not at liberty to answer that question," Cooper said.

Blaine gave Kurt an apologetic look in the rearview mirror. "Cooper, I—."

"You will refer to me only as Quickgold. I am still your superior."

Blaine rolled his eyes, "Okay, _Quickgold_. I need you to do a few scans for me. We've had a run in with Sebastian…"

"Sebastian? But how? He's been demoted."

"You tell me. He was there. I called in a Crew to get him, but I may have left too early."

"You left him there? Alone? Blaaainnee."

"Nightbird."

"I am going to call you Blaine because you made a rookie mistake. You _never_leave a captive alone."

"Thank you for reminding me. The point that I'm trying to make here is that I think he got out. I think I heard him right outside of our car."

Cooper sighed. "Alright, fine. I'm going to need you to set up the locaters where you are, and you might want to set up a few other scanners to make sure you're not being followed."

Blaine nodded and started pulling out multiple gadgets, setting them all around the back seats.

"Make sure the meter is set to six. You remember last time…"

Blaine let out a frustrated puff of air. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope. Okay, I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary except a little blip on the corner of Beacon and Maine."

"This is so stereotypically movie-like. I don't even know how to react to any of this." Kurt said from the front.

"Blaine, please tell your boy-toy to keep it down. I'm trying to concentrate."

"**Would everyone please stop calling Kurt a toy!"**

"Geez brother, calm it down. It was just a joke."

"It's not funny."

"Actually—" Kurt began.

"Don't encourage him," Blaine cut off.

At that moment, a pair of headlights appeared behind Kurt. Blaine whipped around and peered through the back window. He visibly relaxed a few seconds later, after deciding it wasn't a threat.

He turned back to the screens as the other car turned a corner, leaving Kurt and Blaine alone on the street again.

Suddenly Blaine deflated. "Oh no."

"Oh no? What's wrong?"

"Kurt, could you pull over?" Blaine said, a slight quiver in his voice.

Kurt did as Blaine asked, rolling his car over to the side and coming to a stop. The street around them was barren; there wasn't a single streetlight or sign to give any indication as to where they were. Kurt turned off the car and twisted around to look at Blaine. He noticed that all of the screens were now either black or buzzing with static.

Blaine glanced up at him with worry. "I'm not sure what's going on, but…"

"But?" Kurt prompted.

Blaine opened his mouth to respond, but instead of words, Kurt heard the sound of glass breaking, and turned to see a small hole in the side of his car window.

"Damnit, not again! One rock through the windshield three years ago was enough."  
Kurt turned to Blaine in time to see his eyes roll back into his head. Blaine then slumped over, giving Kurt full view of the dart that was lodged into his neck.

Kurt's eyes widened, and his breaths quickened rapidly. A voice in his head told him that he needed to calm down and call for help, but the words wouldn't come; once he felt the tell-tale prick against his skin, the only thing he could think of was how many more times would he have to be knocked out before this would all end.

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**[A/N: Thank you so much for your support guys! That's all I have to say this time, just thank you.]**


	4. Chapter 4

Kurt's eyes fluttered open.

He was currently in the back of a moving van, with his arms tied yet again. If his life were an action movie on tv, Kurt would have turned it off by now. The cliché bad guy and the constant kidnapping just did not seem realistic enough.

But unfortunately this was not a movie, and Kurt was actually trapped in the back of a musty van that smelled of wet socks and cat urine.

It was pretty dark in the back, and he could only see a few vague shadows. He couldn't tell if the shapes around him were people or simply outlines of random objects. He squinted, unable to discern their actual form. There was a tinted window separating the back from whoever was driving the vehicle. It was quiet save for the occasional cough coming from the front.

Unsure if Blaine was in the back with him, Kurt called out as quietly as possible. "Blaine?" He whispered.

There was no response.

Kurt sighed and tried to ignore the pit in his stomach. The first time he was tied up, everything was so confusing and difficult to believe. But now the danger was all too real. He'd seen Sebastian and Blaine, and how deadly this conflict could get. He didn't want to know what would happen if he was left alone with some like Sebastian, or worse.

A grunt came from the space directly across from him. He squinted, trying to make out a figure in the dark. It _sounded _like Blaine, but he couldn't tell for sure. Kurt stretched out his legs and tried to feel for Blaine's feet to tap him awake.

Finding no success, he resigned himself to sitting back and waiting for Blaine to wake up fully.

A few minutes and two left turns later, there was a cough and a sharp intake of breath.

"Kurt? Kurt!" Blaine stage whispered.

"I'm over here," Kurt responded.

"I can't see you, are you alright?"

"I think so. No cuts or bruises as far as I can feel; I'm just tied up again."

"Good, good."

"So… what do we do now?"

Blaine didn't answer, but Kurt could now hear his deep, steady breaths. After a long pause he finally answered.

"I—I don't know."

"Oh." Kurt bit down on his lower lip, unsure of what to say or do next.

Another silence.

"I'm so sorry Kurt," Blaine started. "I've never gone after someone on my own, and I'm not supposed to do any work without a partner. I've definitely never taken any of the Warblers on my own. I guess I just sort of got kind of cocky after I took care of Sebastian, and I made a bunch of mistakes. I just—they didn't want to interfere with you until they were sure our guys on the inside were safe and—"

"Wait, slow down. The Warblers?"

"Yeah. They're the 'bad guys,' so to speak."

"O-kay…" Kurt said. "So what exactly are you stopping them from doing?"

"Well, it's complicated. Way back when, they were the elite. The Warblers kept order in the city. They were the 'guardians.' Every city with a population over 1,000 has a group like them. I used to work for them until about two years ago. But…"

"You were one of the bad guys?"

"Yes and no. When I first started everything was fine, but someone planted a corrupt seed. They siphoned money, ignored their duty, and then there was the Chi-town incident."

Kurt stared in the direction of Blaine's voice. "Chi-town incident?"

"The specifics aren't important, but our leader was removed from his position. I was kicked out along with a few others. Those of us who could no longer call ourselves Warblers banded together to create a second group. It took two months until we were on our feet. Do you remember summer, two years ago?"

"When we couldn't go two days without hearing about an abduction or local bank robbery or a political scandal involving the city board and money? Yes."

"That was why. There was no one to fight against them."

Kurt pondered for a moment, letting the weight of Blaine's words sink in.

"So who are you?"

Blaine clicked his tongue, as if it were the last thing he wanted to hear. "Well, technically we're named The Company, but we many of us have another name you're probably more familiar with. The first word is an antonym for old and the second word rhymes with erections."

Kurt snorted. "Erections, Blaine, really?"

"Hey, I came up with that on the spot, you have to give me some credit."

He rolled his eyes. _Old, new—erections. _"The New Directions." Kurt deadpanned. "You run around the city in spandex with the rest of the Glee club? Why…? I go to school with every single one of you! Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?!" Kurt knocked his head back against the seat in exasperation.

He could almost hear Blaine wincing across from him.

"Please don't hate me. I didn't tell you because I wanted you to be safe. Besides, not _everyone_ in Glee is in The Company, and vice versa. I just did a lot of recruiting there."

"Why not me? Why didn't you ask me?"

"I wanted to protect you."

"Like hell, Blaine! I can take care of myself."

Blaine didn't answer. He felt exceedingly uncomfortable and didn't know what to say to keep Kurt happy.

"I'm sorry," he finally whispered.

"I know, I know." Kurt closed his eyes for a moment. "Why Cooper?"

"What about him?"

"He isn't in Glee, he doesn't live here, and I love him, but isn't he a bit—"

"Self-absorbed?" Blaine offered.

"Well, yes."

"Between you and me, he doesn't actually do much of anything. I kind of let it slip one day, and he threatened to go public with the secret of our society if we didn't let him in. Now whenever he screws up it's automatically my fault because I'm the reason he's here."

"And the work he was doing when he spoke to you on the screen?"

"He presses three buttons to set up my scanners to the main server, then a fourth one to send me the more detailed results that come from the main computer. That's it."

"Huh," Kurt said. "I want in."

"Kurt I—." Blaine was cut off by a sharp left turn that elicited a bang from his side.

Kurt squinted in the dark. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just another bruise to add to my collection."

The car slowed to a stop, brakes squeaking and engine groaning. Almost immediately, Kurt heard the front door open and slam shut.

"There's something I need to tell you about Sebastian. He—" A violent bang came from the side of the car, cutting him short.

The back door opened a little, allowing a sliver of light into the car. Kurt could see Blaine's wide eyes staring at him.

"I love you, Kurt."

The door opened all the way. A handsome young man stood in the door way while the streetlight's bathed him in a soft, gold light. He wore the same blazer and tie combination Kurt had seen on Sebastian earlier, and looked rather unassuming.

"Hello there, ladies."

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**[A/N: I apologize for the late update! Hopefully the next chapter will come out faster if life decides to keep to itself. I hope you enjoyed! If you leave a review, I will love you as much as Blaine loves Margaret Thatcher Dog]**


	5. Chapter 5

**[A/N: Hi lovelies! I'm sorry for the late update! To make it up to you, I'm writing the next chapter tonight so you'll get another one very soon.]**

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Blaine was ripped out of his seat and forced to his feet outside of the car. A second Warbler with bleach-blonde hair appeared beside him and started leading Blaine away. Kurt was so distracted by the way Blaine was being treated that he hardly noticed when the door opened on his side.

A pair of hands hooked onto Kurt's arm and dragged him out. Kurt hissed as his shoulder hit the door frame. He took a moment to balance himself, a difficult task while his arms were bound in front of him. He took a moment to look around. In front of him stood a grand building that looked like it was built in the 1800s for a wealthy robber baron. In any other situation, Kurt would have fawned over the beautiful stone walls and intricately designed glass windows.

"Let's go," the voice growled.

Kurt stumbled as someone pushed him from behind, but kept his footing. He clenched his jaw and kept his eyes trained on Blaine about thirty feet away. He began to walk automatically in the direction of Blaine and his captor, but was quickly turned away.

"Hey, Jeff! Where are you taking him?" Blaine's warbler asked the boy leading Kurt.

"To the left wing. I thought it would be better if we kept them separate in case Blaine tries anything funny."

The other warbler nodded and continued nudging Blaine. Kurt's eyebrows furrowed, worry etching itself onto his face. "No, I have to go with Blaine," he said firmly.

Jeff chuckled, "Nice try. Keep moving."

Kurt rooted himself to the spot. "No. Either I go with Blaine or I don't go anywhere at all."

Jeff sighed and grabbed one of Kurt's forearms, tugging in the opposite direction of Blaine.

Kurt was taken aback by the strength behind the Warbler's pull. Jeff was hardly his height, and at first glance appeared scrawny and easily defeated. His soft expression gave the impression that he wasn't as cruel as Sebastian, or as sly as the Warbler who greeted him and Blaine when he opened the car. However, there was more power under his Navy blazer than Kurt would have anticipated. Kurt took a few steps forward to prevent himself from falling flat on his face, and then took a more solid stance.

"Not. Without. Blaine." He gritted his teeth.

Jeff rolled his eyes and continued to pull Kurt forward, step by step. Kurt had no choice but to follow behind with stuttering steps, but he was becoming more anxious. It didn't matter that Blaine had said he didn't know what to do at this point, nor did it matter that he might not be able to do anything about their current predicament, it just felt safer to have Blaine around.

Kurt began to imagine what would happen to him once he was inside the building. Cuts like the one Sebastian had left on his face were the least of his worries. Nail pulling, teeth filing, Chinese Water Torture, every possible torture technique Kurt could think of was met with a vivid image.

Kurt's heart sped up, and he began to panic. When Jeff slacked his grip for a second, Kurt took full advantage. He tore from Jeff's grasp and brought his tied wrists up to his chest. Then, he ran.

He ran right away from a startled Jeff, making a beeline for Blaine. He shouted his boyfriend's name, causing him to whip around. Kurt could hear Jeff running behind him, quickly catching up. Blaine eyes widened and he shook his head slightly, trying to urge Kurt to turn back around. Kurt's step faltered, wondering why Blaine would want him to turn back.

With that misstep, Jeff overtook him. He barreled into Kurt, taking them both down in the process. Kurt landed hard on his elbows, wincing when Jeff's chin hit the dip on the back of his neck. The grass and dirt scratched his cheek, and Kurt was sure he cut the tip of his nose on a stick.

Kurt struggled, trying to wiggle out from under Jeff, but the captor held on.

"Shhh shh Kurt, Kurt listen," Jeff whispered, barely audible. "Trust me; I need you to trust me."

Kurt's eyes narrowed, skeptical that Jeff actually deserved his trust. "Give me a reason," Kurt shot back.

"I'm in The Company."

Kurt stopped moving and made eye contact with Jeff. He could have easily been lying, but at this point, what choice did he have?

"Fine," Kurt said reluctantly. Jeff got off of Kurt and helped him too his feet. This time Kurt let Jeff lead him away despite his desire to run back to Blaine. He glanced behind him to see Blaine disappearing through a door in the front.

When Kurt was sure no one besides Jeff was around him, he turned to the blonde. "So, where are they taking him?"

Jeff didn't answer, staring straight ahead.

Kurt bit down on his lower lip, worried that Jeff might not actually be a member of The Company. He waited for a brief moment, hoping Jeff would answer.

When he didn't Kurt began to resist again, slowing his pace and making it more broken and forced. Tensing his arm where Jeff held him, he prepared to bolt for a second time.

Jeff noticed. "Cameras" he mumbled, not making eye contact with Kurt. "Someone is always watching the cameras."

Kurt nodded slightly, understanding.

After being walked halfway around the building, Jeff finally took them to an elaborate entrance embellished with two story columns and detailed designs on the wooden door.

Jeff swiped a card, and a click came from the door. Jeff slipped the card back into his blazer pocket and he opened the door, leading Kurt inside.

The inside was exactly what Kurt was expecting from this kind of house—rich, heavy drapery, plush chairs organized around the room, and even a white, grand piano—but it was not anything like what he thought "Evil HQ" would look like. It looked like the main lobby to a five star hotel, and somehow this made Kurt somewhat less uneasy.

People who put this much effort into creating a warm atmosphere couldn't be _that _bad, right?

Kurt followed Jeff out of the lobby, and down a hallway. They approached an unmarked door, and Jeff led him in.

Shutting the door behind them, Jeff seemed to relax slightly. Kurt took notice of his environment. The walls were pure white, and inside there were only two chairs facing each other. It was a bit off putting to be in a small space with what seemed endless white.

Jeff sat down in one of the chairs, indicating with his hand that Kurt should do the same.

"Where are we?"

"This is the recordless room. Electronics don't work in here; signal cannot come in or out. It's the only place in Dalton where you aren't watched. Typically used for…" Jeff hesitated, "torture and information extraction."

"What are they doing to Blaine?"

"I'm not entirely sure. From what I heard, Sebastian has been wreaking havoc and boss isn't too happy about it."

"and you are _really_ from the Company?" Kurt asked, unsure if he expected a truthful answer.

Jeff nodded, "I have been since it was created."

Kurt decided to give Jeff his trust, as opposed to spending all of his time worrying about Blaine without hearing any information. "Blaine wanted to tell me something about Sebastian before he left… do you know what it was?"

Jeff laughed. "There are so many things to tell about Sebastian, I'm not sure which one he wanted to tell you. The kid is psycho. He joined a little bit after Blaine and the rest of us left, and for some reason has had it out for Blaine since the beginning."

"They aren't going to…hurt Blaine are they?"

"I wouldn't worry too much. The Warblers are mostly talk. Half of the operatives can't even throw a punch, much less succeed in actually hurting Blaine. As long as Hunter doesn't get a hold of him…"

Kurt held back a small smile, a little proud that his boyfriend was stronger than a typical Warbler.

"So, what have you heard about why he was kidnapped?"

"Well…" Jeff began.

* * *

**[A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave a review or comment and make my heart happy.]**


	6. Chapter 6

"_Shut up!_" Sebastian roared from across the room.

Blaine snapped his mouth shut but continued to glare in Sebastian's direction. In all honesty, Blaine was asking for it. He kept inquiring about Kurt over and over, and teasing Sebastian while Blaine sat tied to a chair. In reality, he was trying to distract himself from the nausea that had followed him from the car ride. It had more to do with fear than anything else. Blaine was trying desperately to rack his brain for ways to escape. Blaine knew Kurt was okay for now, but Jeff couldn't protect him forever without blowing his cover.

What Blaine needed was time. He needed to stall Sebastian until he could come up with something substantial. He scanned the room, taking in his surroundings carefully. Aside from the rigid chair he sat in, the room was quite warm and comfortable. Everything was made of old, expensive oak, or covered in leather. In another house, he would have taken it for an office.

Finding nothing that could possibly help him out of his chair, Blaine let out a heavy sigh.

"Look Sebastian," Blaine started. "It's not that I'm not enjoying being tied up, but I've got places to be, people to talk to, business to take care of. So if you would just untie me, we could be done with this quickly."

Sebastian let out a short burst of laughter. "Funny, Anderson."

"Nightbird," Blaine said through clenched teeth.

Sebastian waved him off and walked over to a heavy wooden desk. He slid open a drawer and began to rummage through it. Blaine craned his neck to see, but was unable to identify the items Sebastian was looking through.

Blaine sighed audibly and settled into his chair, accepting that he would definitely be in the same spot for a while. "This is ridiculous. You and I both know that I'm going to get out in the end."

Sebastian grunted in response and reached back into the drawer. Unable to find what he was looking for, He stood up and looked around, then approached a cabinet to the left of Blaine.

"Aww, did you lose something? Why am I not the least bit surprised?" Blaine laughed.

"What the fuck don't you understand about _shut up_?" Sebastian growled.

Blaine rolled his eyes. "What's your problem with me anyways?"

Sebastian slammed the cabinet shut.

* * *

"Well… I don't know _much_ about Sebastian's past, but from what I do know there could be a slight motive."

Kurt leaned forward in his chair. Jeff glanced at his watch. "We've got five minutes, tops, before someone starts to wonder where we are."

Kurt nodded, eager to hear the story.

"The Smythes—that's Sebastian's family name—were actually friends of the Andersons way back when. And by friends I mean that strained mutual relationship between two families of a competing social status." Jeff paused, glancing at the door.

"So Blaine and Sebastian were friends at one point?"

"They were… acquaintances at best. At least I think so." Jeff pinched the bridge of his nose. "You really can't take anything I say to be 100% true. I only know what I hear through gossip and speculation."

"Okay okay," Kurt said quickly, feeling the time pass. "Just tell me what you've heard."

* * *

"My _problem_ is you Anderson. I can't stand you, and you don't deserve to be the next leader of the guardian groups."

"But I'm not even a Warbler anymore! Even still, you joined after I left. Why does it matter what I do now?"

"It doesn't," he responded, his voice eerily low. "It's not what you do now, it's what you did before."

"And what was this horrible crime that I committed? Hmm?" Blaine snapped. "I haven't seen you since I was ten, then all of a sudden you're hunting me down, stalking my boyfriend, showing up around school…"

Sebastian clenched his jaw and turned away from Blaine, continuing his search from before.

* * *

"The families were always together. Between the two of them, the mothers hosted over twenty major events. They always tried to outdo one another with those parties. My parents used to go to them, I remember that."

"So it's a family feud type thing?" Kurt asked.

Jeff shrugged. "In a way, it may be. They used Blaine and Sebastian as another way to compete against one another. If you ever wondered why Blaine was in so many extracurriculars, there's your answer. His mom started him early and after she started letting him choose, he just didn't stop. It was pretty easy for Blaine, but Sebastian—not so much."

"You definitely just implied Blaine was better at everything than Sebastian," Kurt smiled.

"He was," Jeff responded simply. "The thing about Blaine, though, is that he didn't _know_ that he was better. This led to some tensions."

* * *

"Sebastian!" Blaine demanded, "Turn and face me! I am sick of this. You don't get to take me away at will for no reason! It's against the code."

"The Warblers stopped using the code ages ago just like every other 'evil' corporation. You know that."

"Sebastian, what happened?" Blaine asked, suddenly quiet, "We used to get along fine."

Sebastian barked out a laugh. "_We_ did not get along fine. You would prance around my house, showing off to my mother who simply fawned over 'the son she wished she had.' I never liked you; I resented you," he sneered.

"What are you talking about? We were always together. _You_ always invited _me _over. You were my first best friend!"

Sebastian snorted and reached for a box on top of the cabinets. He glanced inside and a he gave a small smile, finally having found what he needed. "Maybe at first."

"You had a _crush_ on me for heaven's sakes Seb. Don't tell me we never got along."

The box slipped from Sebastian's grasp and hit the floor with a crash. It tipped over, revealing a few metallic objects with unnervingly sharp edges. Blaine looked up in time to see Sebastian glance nervously at the camera positioned above the door. He bent down and picked up the box, hand shaking slightly. "How did you…"

"Know? Like I said. We were best friends, I could tell."

* * *

"So Sebastian in simultaneously in love and hate with Blaine? Even then, all of this seems somewhat over the top."

Jeff pursed his lips. "I guess it would seem that way, but Sebastian was given easy access to all of the resources. I guess when someone has the means, it's easier for them to act on an impulse. That, however, is only for now.

"For now?" Kurt questioned.

"He's been on probation for a while. This isn't the first time he's gone out on his own and hunted Blaine down. At first Hunter thought it was amusing and let it go. Getting rid of Blaine would have made things easier for him anyway, but now he's pissed."

A sharp knock came from the door. Both boys turned their heads with a jolt.

* * *

Sebastian shook his head violently, "I didn't."

The corners of Blaine's mouth turned up in a smile, "You just confirmed it when you asked me how I knew. Stop with the lies, Sebastian."

For a moment, it appeared as if Sebastian was about to relent, but then his expression darkened once again. "You don't know anything Anderson."

"You know what? Whatever, Sebastian. I don't care anymore. Just get on with whatever you were going to do to me."

Sebastian took a step forward, then hesitated. "I…"

"Please tell me you had a plan for after you captured me."

* * *

"Don't say anything, and look a little scared." Jeff ordered quietly. He started for the door, and then quickly returned to Kurt. Before Kurt could protest, Jeff messed up Kurt's hair and moved his sweater around so it looked rumpled. He then pressed his fingers to his lips and walked to the door.

Jeff opened it to reveal an imposing figure. The man's stance looked almost military-like, and he held an air of authority.

"Hunter! I'm in the middle of something here." Jeff pointed behind him with nonchalance.

Hunter brushed passed him, entering the room and settling his eyes on Kurt. "How long have you guys been in here?" he asked.

"Five, maybe ten minutes," Je responded. "Why, do you need the room?"

Hunter shook his head. "No. We've got a problem with the other one, though. Follow me, and bring him with you."

Jeff gave a curt nod and signaled for Kurt to follow. Kurt sighed quietly with relief as Hunter exited the room. He stood warily and followed Jeff out of the room.

* * *

**[A/N: I kinda messed around with formatting a little, just for the effect. Let me know what you think of this chapter! More soon to come! They key to my heart is leaving reviews.]**


	7. Chapter 7

Kurt fell behind Jeff and Hunter. Even though Hunter had barely acknowledged his existence, Kurt couldn't help but feel like he was walking to his execution. Each step was bringing him closer to some unknown fate.

For Kurt, the worst part wasn't the fact that he was captured and bound and forced from location to location. The worst part was the complete and utter helplessness that followed him. While initially Blaine was there to offer some sense of security, now Kurt was alone and had to fend for himself.

As they turned yet another corner, an idea began to form in Kurt's mind. He glanced around the elaborate hall they were currently walking through, looking for means of escape. There were a couple of doors, but they were too far away for Kurt to slip through unnoticed.

Jeff glanced back a few times each minute to ensure Kurt was still following. He noticed Kurt eyeing the doors and tried to silently warn him against it. His wide eyes and slight shake of the head barely registered in Kurt's mind. All he could think of was getting out while he could.

Jeff knit his eyebrows together as Kurt ignored his signal. He quickened his pace so that he was arm and arm with Hunter. He quickly whispered a few words to the leader, tilting his head in Kurt's direction. Hunter stopped in his tracks and turned around, looking Kurt up and down, appraising him in a way he hadn't when they first met. Kurt could feel Hunter's eyes sliding up his body. He didn't feel violated, per se, but his gaze made Kurt uneasy at best.

Hunter gave a curt nod and turned to Jeff. "Meet me outside of interrogation room three. West wing." He side eyed Kurt again, "don't take too long."

He strode off down the hall, disappearing behind a pair of double doors.

Jeff hurried over to Kurt. "I know you're thinking about running. Don't do it," he said in a low voice.

Kurt snorted, "like you can tell me if I should run or not. I don't see you being dragged around from place to place, not knowing where you're going to end up."

Jeff offered a sympathetic look. "Look, Kurt," he began, stepping forward and grabbing is bicep. "I'm trying to help you without blowing my cover. There is only so much I can do if you run."

Kurt rolled his eyes and tried to jerk out of Jeff's grasp. The boy's grip was too tight, and Kurt huffed out a frustrated puff of air. Without warning, Jeff pulled Kurt behind a column.

"Hey! What was that-."

Jeff brought a finger too his lips, "blind spot, so they won't see me do this."

Kurt raised an eyebrow as Jeff reached inside his blazer, and tensed when he began to pull something out. Just as Kurt was prepared to make a run for it, he spotted a slip of paper.

It looked like a business card, but all that was on it was a red Dalton logo Kurt had seen in a few places around the mansion. Jeff flipped it over and dug out a pen from his blazer. He quickly sketched out the outline of a building and a small compass in the corner. He made "X" in one spot, and circled another not too far away. He then boxed off a couple areas near the edges.

When he was done, he put the pen away and handed the card to Kurt. "The "X" is where we are now. The circle is where Blaine _probably_ is, and the squares are unmanned exits. They're hidden so they should be a little tricky to find. If you somehow manage to get Blaine with you, he'll know which exits to go to and the fastest way there." Jeff hesitated when he heard a thud in the distance. When no further noise accompanied it, he continued on. "That way is north," he pointed behind Kurt.

Kurt turned the card so that it was oriented in the right direction. He nodded.

"Thank you, Jeff. Really." He took a step back when Jeff caught his arm.

"Punch me."

"Excuse me?"

"I need you to punch me," Jeff said in a casual tone. He reached up to his hair and ran his hands through it backwards, making it look like he'd just stuck his head outside of a car speeding down the highway.

"I can't _punch_ you."

Jeff sighed. "I can't let you walk away from me. It's too obvious. Now punch me or I will take you to Hunter right now."

Kurt balled his right hand tentatively, and pulled back. He brought it forward with mediocre force. When his knuckles connected with Jeff's jaw, the boy barely swayed.

"Come on, you won't hurt me. Just leave a mark of some sort."

Kurt tried again, this time pretending Jeff was Sebastian. His fist went a little off course, and hit Jeff in the mouth rather than the side of his face. Jeff took a step back when Kurt's hand met his bottom lip. It split open at the middle.

Jeff touched the cut gingerly and examined the spot of blood. "Good. Now kick me out from behind the column."

Kurt winced as he braced himself on his right leg and offered a swift kick to Jeff's abdomen.

Jeff fell back almost comically and clutched his stomach. Kurt stared at him for a moment.

"Run." Jeff hissed through his teeth.

Glancing down at the card, Kurt took off. He intended on going around where Blaine was likely being held, and circling back. Maybe he could find something to use as a weapon while he searched.

* * *

Sebastian shook his head placed the box on a nearby table. He then took a step closer to Blaine. "Look here," he growled, "You are going to sit in that chair quietly and I don't want to hear anything from you unless I ask. Got it?"

Blaine snorted, rolling his eyes at the Warbler, "So what if I do? You aren't going to do anything to me."

"_Shut Up!" _Sebastian yelled. He bent down next to Blaine and whipped out his switchblade. He then pressed it against Blaine's jugular, a growl eliciting from his throat. "You do _not_ know what I'm capable of."

Blaine clenched his teeth together, deciding he'd rather not push Sebastian when there was only a flick of a wrist between life and death.

Sebastian smiled, and set the blade down on the floor next to him. He cupped Blaine's jaw and brought his face dangerously close. Blaine could feel his hot breath on his face, and he lost his brazen mask.

"Um, Seb?"

"Shhh shh," he brought a finger to Blaine's lips. Sebastian waited a moment before patting Blaine on the cheek and standing back up and crossing the room. "I'm not supposed to do anything to you anyway. I just did the dirty work."

Blaine blinked in a stunned silence.

Sebastian returned to the cardboard container and began rifling through it.

Slowly, the smile returned to Blaine's face. When Sebastian glanced up, he saw a wild grin on Blaine's face. He raised an eyebrow in question and Blaine began to laugh. Sebastian sighed with exasperation and returned to his previous task.

"You still have a crush don't you?" Blaine asked once his laughter died down.

Sebastian hesitated as he pulled out a metal clamp. He fumbled a bit for words. "H-how typical. Mr. Perfect thinks everyone is in love with him."

"You don't deny it."

"I didn't confirm it either."

"I bet Hunter isn't going to be pleased once he hears about this."

Sebastian pressed his lips into a tight line. Blaine could see that the tips of his ears tinged with pink.

Sebastian took a deep breath.

"He isn't going to hear anything because there's nothing to hear, Blaine."

"_Nightbird! _It's Nightbird. Nightbird the_ nocturnal fucking avenger. _Honestly is it that hard?"

Sebastian didn't answer as he unscrewed a metal container and shook some screws into his hand. He placed them next to the clamp.

Both boys turned when they heard the door click open. Sebastian was reaching for his gun holster when he recognized the newcomer.

"Sebastian, we have a problem." Hunter began, low and menacing.

"Don't worry, I've got him tied down well and good this time around."

Hunter barely acknowledged Blaine, who had shrunk down in his seat.

"Blaine isn't the problem. It's you."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I took the holidays off from writing my longer fics. There will likely be another week's wait for the next part because of midterms and such, but expect part 8 relatively soon! If you enjoyed let me know! (Even if you didn't, and you have suggestions for improvement, feel free to share. Those are always appreciated).**


	8. Chapter 8

"Me?" Sebastian asked, attempting to sound incredulous. "I just brought you Blaine Anderson, we've been chasing him for ages!"

Hunter stood firm. "_You've_ been chasing him for ages. He's never been a top priority and now I find out that you've been using resources restricted to high-level members to track down your little… obsession! Then you go and get Jeff and Thad to do some of your dirty work for you? They are indispensable. You have a lot to answer to."

Sebastian's expression faltered for a brief second, showing the smallest hint of fear before returning to its usual smugness.

Meanwhile, Blaine had opted to stay silent. He'd only met Hunter once before and still had a scar on his back as proof. The less attention he drew, the better.

Hunter glanced at the table where he saw the items Sebastian had been lying out. "We're you planning on torturing him?!" Hunter hollered. "You are not cleared to do that, Sebastian. Christ, what is wrong with you?"

Blaine raised his eyebrows as he watched Hunter slowly break down the wall of self-assurance Sebastian had built around himself. Hunter was slowly closing in, appearing to be twice the size of Sebastian despite the fact that he was the shorter of the two. Obscenities spewed from his mouth at such a fast pace, Blaine couldn't even pick up on half of it.

Just when it seemed that Hunter was ready to grab Sebastian's neck, a harried and bleeding Jeff burst in through the door.

Hunter raised an eyebrow at Jeff's dramatic entrance, and frowned when he saw that Jeff was alone.

"Where's the other one?" He questioned.

"He-" Jeff paused to take a breath, "he got away."

Hunter closed his eyes and stood there breathing slowly. When he finally spoke, it was quiet and controlled.

"Jeff, go up to tech and tell them to keep an eye out for someone not in uniform. Sebastian, come with me."

Sebastian's eyes clouded over in fear. "Y-you're sure? I could stay and keep an eye on Blaine."

Hunter didn't respond. He simply glared at Sebastian until he finally shuffled out of the door, defeated.

Within the next few seconds, Blaine was alone in the room. He twisted his neck, trying to locate his utility belt. Everything he needed to get out could be found in the pockets.

He spotted it about ten feet behind him, resting on a counter. He began moving in his chair, managing to make it scoot backwards, inch by inch.

It took five minutes, but eventually Blaine reached the counter. He used his chin to slide the belt onto his lap, and twisted in his seat, straining to reach the belt. His fingers eventually brushed against the rough material, and he closed his hand around it

Working as quickly as he could, he unclasped one of the pockets and felt for the same short knife he'd used to untie Kurt earlier that night. He nicked himself on the front tip of the knife, but managed to get a firm grip on it. He dropped the belt and aligned the knife the best he could with the ropes holding him down. Once it felt like he was in a good position, he began to saw back and forth, slowly but surely cutting through the material.

* * *

Hunter opened a door and gestured for Sebastian to enter in after him.

"Take it off." he said once they were both inside.

"I'm sorry?" Sebastian asked incredulously.

"Take off the damn uniform. There are some civilian clothes in the closet over there. You're done, Sebastian."

Sebastian froze in his spot. "No... I can't. I don't have anywhere to go."

"That's not my problem." Hunter responded. "You have two minutes. I'll send security after you if you're still hanging about, and they will not hold back."

Sebastian stared after Hunter as he left the room. Only when the door closed did he begin changing as quickly as possible, something changed in his face. Something darker than before.

* * *

Kurt glanced around the corner, checking for any Warblers. He had already been nearly caught three times now, and couldn't risk it happening again. He could only get lucky so many times.

When he saw that there was no one there, he sprinted down the hall and ducked behind an elaborate chair. He paused, catching his breath, before peeking up over the edge of the chair. Seeing nothing, he continued tiptoeing through the hall.

As he passed one room with a door slightly ajar, something caught his attention.

A Warbler Uniform.

After glancing inside to ensure no one was in the room, he slipped in and closed the door. The uniform was slung over an armchair haphazardly, as if someone had suddenly taken it off. He felt the rich fabric. It slid between his fingers easily.

_High quality_ he thought to himself. Before he had a moment to think twice, he was stripping off his clothes and throwing on the uniform.

It was a bit too big, but Kurt figured that would be okay. He just needed to pass for a Warbler at first glance. He stuffed his already ruined clothes under the chair.

He took a moment to study the card Jeff had given him. It was a pretty vague representation of the building, and Kurt was worried that he might have already passed Blaine's room.

He stepped cautiously out of the room, ensuring he was still alone. Seeing no one, he exited and continued in the direction he'd been heading in.

* * *

Blaine finally began to feel the ropes give, and he tried to quicken the pace at which he was cutting through the woven material.

Unfortunately, he lost his grip on the knife and it clattered to the ground behind him.

Cursing himself silently, Blaine began to strain against the ropes. At first it made no difference, but slowly he began to hear them rip apart. His arms shook from the effort as he finally broke through the rope.

He rubbed his wrists before getting to work on untying his legs. Within seconds, he was free. He sprung up from his chair and grabbed his belt and knife. While he was clipping it back on, he spotted his cape resting on the other side of the counter. He pulled it on and made his way to the door. After checking to make sure the hallway was clear, he rushed off in search of Kurt.

* * *

Kurt ran through the building, stopping at each door and pressing his ear close to check for Blaine.

So far he found no such luck.

He passed a room with a door slightly ajar. He glanced inside.

Empty.

He did notice, however, a bundle of ropes on the ground. Kurt let himself hope that maybe those had been Blaine's, and that he'd managed to find his way out.

Backing up and shutting the door behind him, he turned around and came face to face with a Warbler whose face he did not recognize.

* * *

Blaine heard a loud, metallic clang just as he was about to ascend a stairwell. He froze, immediately assuming the worst.

_Please don't be Kurt please don't be Kurt_ he silently pleaded as he whipped around and ran towards the sound.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry for the late update! I had midterms then got swamped with more work and I've been sick for the past few days so I haven't been able to write much of anything. I hope you enjoyed! Reviews welcome.**


	9. Chapter 9

Blaine raced down the hallway, making a beeline for the source of the sound. He didn't bother checking corners or staying out of the line of sight of cameras. He knew it wasn't a guarantee that the sound had come from Kurt, but he couldn't take chances.

The entire night had been a disaster and he was sure it was his fault. He'd let Kurt go into an area he knew was unsafe, he'd cut corners with Sebastian, and he'd failed to do his job in general. Right now nothing mattered more than making sure Kurt didn't have to pay for his mistakes.

As he passed a few rooms that were being renovated, something caught his eye. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a crumpled figure on the floor. There was a dark pool underneath him, and Blaine's stomach churned when he realized what it had to be.

Blood.

He nearly fell as he scrambled over, noticing the Warbler's uniform. He didn't let himself become too hopeful, knowing it was possible that Kurt might have gotten a hold of one.

It wasn't until he gently turned the body over that he let himself breath again. It wasn't Kurt.

He took notice of the faint metallic smell of blood, and began to hold his breath again. He noticed that the Warbler was still breathing, and the blood was coming from a wide, but shallow gash across his forehead. A few feet away was a heavy wrench, covered in blood. The Warbler would likely be okay.

Maybe.

This had to have been Kurt's doing. Blaine stood up, looking around for signs of his boyfriend.

Finding none, he continued in the opposite direction of which he came, keeping his ears trained for any new sounds.

He nearly ran past a half open door when he heard a muted sound come from the room. He stopped suddenly, almost tipping forward with the quick movement. He cautiously approached the door and tried to peer inside.

The room was pitch black, and Blaine couldn't see much more than the outlined shadows of the furniture. There was the steady flow of a sink, and water was splashing audibly. He approached quietly, hearing nothing besides the faucet. Then he heard it.

A shaky intake of air, a sniff.

Blaine made his way further into the room, following the sound. It led him to a bathroom, the doorway hidden in the back corner.

He entered the bathroom, seeing the shaking figure. Kurt was crying as he scrubbed vigorously at his hands. Even in the dim lighting coming through the blinds of the window, Blaine could see that there was nothing on them.

"Kurt?"

There was a scream, and Blaine jumped back, the back of his thigh hitting the door frame. Kurt fell backwards, landing hard on his backside before collapsing into hard sobs.

"Blaine… I didn't mean to. It just happened. He was chasing me and it was there I…" Kurt fell back into tears, loud sobs escaping from his mouth.

"I killed him, I killed him," he choked out between cries.

Blaine fell down next to Kurt, gathering him in his arms and holding him against his chest. "Shh shh, it's okay, Kurt. You were defending yourself."

Kurt's cry turned into gasping breaths and he held on to Blaine. "But… he's. dead. There was so much blood. I didn't think…"

"He isn't dead, Kurt. He's still breathing, and I'm sure someone saw on surveillance. They'll help him.

"He's not?" Kurt looked up at Blaine, searching his shadowed face for signs of truth. The tears were still shining in the corners of his eyes and his breathing was uneven.

Blaine just shook his head, taking Kurt's hands.

"What happened?" He asked, grabbing a corner of his cape and drying off Kurt's hands. He was certain they were blue, but he couldn't tell in the darkness.

"I tried—" Kurt choked, then paused to collect himself. "I was trying to find you, and I found the room you were in. But you were gone. Then I left and he was there and I…ran." Kurt started crying again, silently this time.

"I'm proud of you, Kurt." Blaine said as Kurt slowly calmed back down.

Kurt nodded, wiping away tears with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry, Blaine. I didn't mean to. I think everything that's happened today finally hit me, and… it's too much."

Blaine's face dropped. He looked away, not letting Kurt see the tears that welled in his eyes. He knew that after this was over, he'd have to leave. Kurt was now going to be involved as long as he knew Blaine, and it wasn't safe. Kurt would be a target.

"Okay, okay Kurt. I promise you I'll take you to safety. We have to get out of here right now, though."

Kurt nodded and Blaine stood up. He held out a hand to help Kurt stand up. He led them back to the hall, peering around the corner of the door. It was empty.

"Ready?" Blaine asked.

"Ready," Kurt replied, his grip tightening on Blaine's hand.

Blaine leaned back to press a quick kiss on Kurt's lips. He smiled after pulling back, "No matter what happens, Kurt. I love you."

Kurt returned the smile. "I love you, too."

Blaine nodded and stepped into the hall, breaking into a run with Kurt by his side. They passed room after room, unchallenged. They approached the main entrance. Just twenty more steps after that and they would make it out.

Blaine stopped right before they walked into the open space. It was crawling with Warblers. They were clearly searching for the two of them.

Blaine hissed and pulled back. "We can't get out."

He searched, searching for a way out. He spotted a staircase, and bolted straight for it, Kurt at his heels.

They'd have to jump.

* * *

** A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the delay. There is only one part left, so stay tuned for the finale! Thanks to those who are still sticking around. I really appreciate it.**


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